Shoe lasting mechanism



Aug. 27, 1935. W M R" -2,0l2,634

SHOE LASTING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 6, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 JNVENITOR Aug. 27, 1935. w MlLLER 2,012,634

SHOE LASTING MECHANI SM Filed Jan. 6, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I INVEN'TOR- ih Yofye WMZZer %z'5 ATTO El Aug. 27, 1935. G. w. MILLER SHOE LASTING MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 mvpm oR $60736 WfizZZer 41$ATTORNEY Filed Jan. 6, 1953 I Patented Aug. 27, 1935 t m p v 2,012,634

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE i SHOE LAST-ING MECHANISM 7 George W. MiHer, Rochester, N. Y. Application'January e, 1933, Serial No. 650,525

13 claims. (01. 12-127) This invention relates to shoe lasting mecha The same reference numerals throughout the nism. An object of the invention is the proviseveral views indicate the same parts. I I Y sion of generally improved and more satisfactory This application is a continuation in part of V mechanism, of simple and'sturdy form, for the my co-pending application for patent on Shoe rapid and efficient lasting of shoes of various lasting device, Serial No. 401,526, filed October'22, 5

kinds. r v 1929. The wire'pulling and twisting mechanism,

Another object of the invention is the provishown in this present application to aid'in a comsion of a last jack and associated parts, of such p ats u de tandi f the iIlVentiOIiQ is 1101? form and construction as'to be especially adaptclaimed per Se in this p e t app a but ed for the lasting of shoesbya methodemployforms the subject matter of the claims of my 10 ing wires or other ligatures. said co-pending application. f f "Still another object isthe provi'sion of. a'last According to one known method oflasting' jack so designed and constructed that it may tilt shoes, a ligature (preferably in the form of a in a substantially vertical plane on a 'substan-. wirelis secured to the. shoe up fl o e tially horizontal axis, to shift ashoe to different edge of the upper, and when the-shoe upper is. 15 positions for performing different operations p dp the last, i u s drawn tight: upon it, in addition to revolving in a substana cl d i a h n d DOSitiOIl y twisting tially horizontal plane about a substantially verthe ends of the wire, for example) in order 130. tical axis, to change the positionof the shoe end pu l' t e W f d 0f 1 shoe pp O the for end. V edges of the lastand hold the'upperagainst an 20 A further object is to provide various iminsole, for example, d ng Ofce ent provements and refinements in details .of con-l OI ad e ve u d 10 6 5. h pp to the insolestruction so that an eflicient, sturdy, and smooth- Such'a method of lasting shoes is disclosed in my. I 1y operating mechanism results. U. S. patent for .Method of making shoes, No."

2;) To these and other ends the invention resides granted y 1930, O 'app 55 jaws closed.

in certain improvements'and combinations of fi April 1929- parts, all" as will be hereinafter more.,fully.de- T e m is of t present v n o s scribed, the novel features being pointed out in pa y a e the lasting f Shoes the claims at the end of the specification. V cording to theabove mentioned method, although In the drawings: itis capable also-of. other uses. p 30 Fig. 1 is, a side elevation of a shoe lasting Referring nowIto}Fig.1 of the drawings, there mechanism constructed in accordance with a preis shown asuitable tableor support 20 on which ferred embodiment ofthe invention; a frame or bed plate 2| is placed. Thisframe:

Fig; 2 isa side elevation of the jack portion 2| carries a pair of uid ways 3 s. 1.3-; 4;" of such mechanism, with the shoe last indicated and n Which a j base plate 1 slidadiagrammatically; bly-mounted. This base 23 has a substantially Fig. 3 is a plan of the parts shown in Fig. 2; cylindrical upstanding portion 24 on which is Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken substanseated a member 25which may be desc b d a tially on'the line 4 of Fig. 1; turntable. The member 25 has a portion26 ex- Fig. 5 is a vertical sectiontaken substantially tending downwardly from thecsnter thereofrand 40 on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; seated in a central opening in the cylindrical Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken substantially po 24 of the b e. a best seen n F -8, nd on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4; I 'a retaining member 21 is held in placeby; suitable Fig. 7 is a plan of a: fragment of themechanism means, $11011 as machine C T 28, Q h

shown in Fig. 4, on a somewhat larger scale, .i1-, th turntable'is held in effective pbsition p t e/ lustrating the jack holding clutch in it s released as portion s permitted t rotate-freely. position; relative to the base portion abouta substantially Fig. 8 is a vertical section taken Substantially vertical axis. V on the line 8-8 of Fig. 3; The turntable 25, in turn, carries a pair of up- 50 i Fig; 9 is a View of a fragment of the wire pull standing flanges 30 slightly spaced from each ing and twisting mechanism in its open position, other seas to receive between them a jack memand ber 31 pivotally connected to thef'flanges 30 by Fig. 10 is a similar'view with the wire gripping means-of thepivot pin '32, which constitutes -a substantially horizontal axis, about which the last having an end adapted to engage alug or abut-' ment 34 on the turntable 25 when the member 3! is oscillated to one position as shown in Fig. .1, and another adjusting screw 35 adapted to engage the fiat, top of theturntable 25 when the jack member 3| is oscillated to the limit of its motion in the opposite direction, as indicated in Fig; 2.

A frictional detent member 36 (Fig. 8) is pressed 5 by a spring 31 against the side of the member 3| at a point somewhat spaced from the pivot 32,

so that this detent tends to retain the member 3 I frictionally in either positionto which it is oscillated. The spring 37 may be held 'in place" and" its tension adjusted by means of a screwplug 38 (Figs. 2 and 8).

The jack member 3! carries both a last spindle and a toe rest. The last spindle, best shown in Fig. 2, is indicated at 40 and is pivoted at 4| to the member 31 An adjusting screw 42 threaded through an arm 43 secured to the last spindle, bears against a lug 44 on the member 3|, so that as the screw 42 is screwed further into the arm 43 it tends" to move the spindle 41 leftwardly or in a counterclockwise direction, when viewed as in Fig. 2. Theend of the spindle 40 which engages with the shoe last (showndiagrammatically at 66) is knurled orotherwise roughened as indicated at .4! so that the socket of the last will be retained'on the spindle with'greater frictional resistance to "di'splacementand there will be no likelihood of accidentaldisplacement of the last from the spindle during the various operations i such as tightening the wires or otherligatures according to the lasting method above described.

On'the jack member 3| there isa guideway 50 along which a toe rest carriage 5| is slidably mounted. A clamping screw 52 is provided for clamping-the toe rest carriage in' any desired stationary position on the guideway. The toe rest carriage has an upstanding shank '53 provided with a pair of bores54' extending downwardly from its top. The toe test, indicated at 55, is providedwith a' pair of pins which extend downwardly'into the bores 54 to hold the toe rest in place onthe shank 53. Thus the toerest itself is. detachable readily from the shank 53 of the,

toe restcarriage and differentftoe rests of different heights maybereadily placed on the. shank- 53 for lasting different styles or sizes of shoes.

It is seen from theforegoing description that the last spindle is mounted for oscillation with respect to the jack body 3|, and that when the adjusting screw 42' is tightened, the'lastmounted on the spindle is moved in such direction, that the shoe upper'on the last comes into contact with the toe rest 55; The screw 42 serves not only 'to' move the spindle but also to hold thespindle in the desired position with the shoe upper I pressing firmly against the toe'rest, the'position of which toe rest may be adjusted by; moving the carriage 5| along the guideway It is also seen that the entire spindle 40 and toe rest may be oscillated together as a unit with the'body 3|; about the substantially hori- 4 zontal axis constituted by the pivot 32, andalso about the, substantially verticalaxis on, which the turntable '25 rotates :with respect tothe base 24. as: an axis substantially parallel to. they plane of operator.

wall 15.

The horizontal axi's fi may alsoibe described one'of a plurality of positions, as for example by means of the latch member pivoted at 6| to the turntable and having its lower end normally pressed by the spring 62 into one or the other of a pair-of notches 53 placed in the base 24 at diametrically opposite points. The notches 53 are formed insuch positions relative to the latch 50 that when the latch is seated in one notch, the

last jack will be held in proper position for a lastin'goperation upon one part of the shoe (such as lasting the heel portion as indicated in Fig. l) When the latch is seated in the other notch 53, the jack will be turned to a diametrically opposite point (as shown in Fig. 2) in which it will be in proper position for performing another lasting operation onthe same shoe (as, for example, lasting the toe of the shoe).

The ligature tightening and twisting mechanism which will be described hereafter, pulls the ligature during the tightening operation, which pull must be resisted by the jack, as otherwise the entire jack would move toward .the pulling device. It is desirable not to have the jack permanently mounted in fixed position, but on the con- 9 trary to have it shiftable toward andaway from the ligature tightening means, in order to make the. machine more flexible andadjustable for efficient operation upon shoesof various sizes.

It is for these purposes of flexibility, adjustability, and efiicient' operation, that the jack is mounted upon th'ebase member 23 slidable in the guideways 22 of the frame 2|. Clutch means is provided, however,' for preventing undesired sliding of the ,baseo23j in a direction, towardlthe ligature tightening means, while at the same time suitable mechanism is vprovided for moving the sliding base ZBbackward or forward in either direction along its guideways when desired by the This means for moving and holding the member 23 is best shown in Figs. 3' to '1, inelusive, to which attentionisnow directed, I

A pin'lil projects upwardly from the base slide 23' near'the right hand end thereof and is received in a slot H of .aleve'r I2 pivotedto the frame 2| at 13. 5 The lever 12 is extended rear wardly, for some distance beyond itsjpivot 13 and is there provided with ,an oblique end. 1 3.. Adjacent this oblique endl l is an arcuate wall '55 secured to the frame 2|, and a roller 15 is placed between theoblique end 14, and the wall 75. A plunger 11 pressed by a coiled spring iii in a cavity ina yoke 80, tends to move the roller 76 toward the. smaller end of the tapered space between the end '14 of the lever and the arcuate Thus the roller provides, in eiiect, a oneway clutch which willpermit free oscillation of the lever 12 in a clockwise direction when viewed as in Fig; 4 (which will carry the slide 23 leftwardly) but which will prevent counterclockwise oscillation of" the lever 12 by reason of the jamming action of the roller 16 between the lever and-the arcuate wall-'i5.

The yoke or U-shaped member 80 embraces the lever 12 near its oblique end and. is secured thereto as by means of the screws 8!. It extends .upwardly above the top surface of the lever on each side thereof to provide a channel somewhat wider than the Width of the lever, as plainly shown in Figs. 5 and '7. In this channel between the arms ofthe member 80, lies the rear e nd of an upper and will thus release or disengage it from its tight jamming action between the lever '52 and the wall 15. Then, slight further counterclockwise movementof the lever 82 will bring the rear end of this lever into contact with the left hand arm of the yoke 89, so that further oscillation of the I lever 82 will be transmitted to the lever I2 and will cause corresponding counterclockwise oscillation of the lever 12 and corresponding rightward movement of the jack slide 23. The relative position of the parts when the lever 82 is being operated in this manner is shown in 7.

If the forward end of the lever 82 be moved leftwardly, to oscillate the lever in a clockwise direction, the right hand rear edged the lever willcome into, contact with the right handpart of the yoke 80 and consequently the lever I2 will be correspondingly oscillated to cause leftward movement of the jack slide 23.. Thus the lever 82 provides means for moving the jack at will in The only.

either direction along its guideways. way of moving the jack rightwardly is by moving the lever 82, since if rightward pressure is applied directly to the jack itself, the clutch constituted by the roller I6 and associated parts will hold the jack against rightward movement. Thus the position .of the jack is readily adjustable at will but the jack is prevented from moving rightwardly toward the ligature tightening means during the lasting operation.

The ligature tightening means itself may now be described, referring particularly to Figs. 1, 9 and 10. It is believed thatthismeans need not be described in minutedetail, however, since" it is not claimed in this presentapplication butv forms the subject matter of claims of the above mentioned co-pending application, as previously stated. Y

Near the right hand end of the frame 2|, is a hollow boss 90 receiving a vertical screw 9i the height of which may be adjusted by rotating the nut 92 controlled by the hand wheel 93. The upper end of this screw 9I carries a fixture 94 to which is pivoted at 95 a yoke 96 provided-with guiding portions Q'Iand 98 in which is slidably and rotatably mounted a tubular member 99. A hand wheel I is fixed to the tubular member 99, as bymeans of the set screw II, in a position between the guiding portions 96 and 98. A coiled spring I02 surrounding the tubular member.

presses rightwardly against the left handside of the guiding portion 98 (a ball bearing I03 being.

interposed if desired) and leftwardly against the righthand side of the hand wheel I00 '(a similar ball bearing I04 being likewise interposed here if desired). Thus the spring :tends to hold the tubular member 99 at the extreme leftward limit of its motion, but without interfering with rotation of the tubular member in the guides 91 and 98 by means of the hand wheel I09. v

Within the tubular member'99 is slidably mounted a rod I05 constantly pressed leftwardly by a spring I06 held in place by a plug I01 sei cured in the right hand end of the tubular member 99. The rod I05 is free to slide longitudinally in the tubular member 99 through a limited extent determinedby the -length of apair. of slots I08 extending longitudinally in the tubular memberga'nd engagedbya pin, I09 fastened through the rod? I05-between, the. guide 9? and the wheel By reason of this pinand slot connection I I08,-I09,,the rod I05 cannot'rotate within the tubular member. 99 but is forced to rotate with the tubular member whenever the latter is rotated by means of the'hand wheel I00.

At its left hand end, the rod I05 is provided witha fixed clamping jaw II5, cooperating with having a tail I I8 extending outrthrough a slot a movable jaw IIG pivotedto the rod atIII and H9 in the tubular member 99. When the rod I05 is'moved rightwardly with relation to its enveloping tubular member 99 to the position shown in Fig, 9, a springglmounted on the tubularmember 99 presses upon the tail I I8 to hold the jaw II 5 its openpositionspaced from the jaw II5, as shownin Fig. 9.

When the rod I 05- is moved leftwardly relative to the tubular member 99; however, (or whenthe tubular member 99 is moved rightwardly relative to the rod I 05, which amounts to the same thing) then the left hand end ofthe slot II9 acts as a cam-upon the inclined edge, of the tail H8 and moves this tail so as to close the jaw I I6'firmly against the jaw I I5, thisposition being indicated in Fig. "10.

A cap member I is fastened tothe right hand end of the tubular member 99, and aheaded stud' I3I isfrotatably mounted'in a;central openingin this cap. Suitablepullingmeans such as a chain I32 is fixed to the stud I3I and passes over a pulley I33-mounted-at the right handend of the yoke 96. The chainmay be connected, in turn,

to a cable ,orcord I34 extending downwardly around the guide pulley I35 and to a suitable treadle or other means when desired. 7. 1 I It is apparent fromthis description, that when the cord I34 isslack the spring, IOZ will force the for pulling on the guide hand wheel I00 and the tubular member 99 to the extreme leftward limits of their motion. The pin I09, being between the hand wheel and the guide 97, will be forced by thehand wheel against the guide as shown in Fig. 9. The jaws H5 and IIS will then be open so thatthe ends I (Fig. 1)

of a ligature such as a vwire may be inserted'be I tween these jaws.

If the cord I34 is now pulled downwardly as c by depressing a treadle connected to the cord, the tubular member 99 will be pulled-rightward- 1y against. the action of the spring I02. Because of the spring I06, however, the rod I05 will tend to remain in its original position with the pin I09 against the guide member 91. Thus the'tubular member :99 will move rightwardly with respect to'the rod I05, and the left hand end of the slot 9 will act upon the tail IIB of the jaw IIB to.

close the jaw upon theligature I40. If the move- .ment of the cord I34 becontinued, the rod. I05 and the closed jaws will move rightwardlybodily v along with the member 99 and the jaws will thus pull rightwardly on the ligature I40, tightening this ligature in the desired manner according to the method of lasting set out'in thepreviously mentioned patent. may be rotated a few turns in order to twist the ,ends of the ligature around each other, so that, when the clamping jaws are released, the ligature will remain in this tightened position.

By operating in this manner, one portion of I the'shoe may be lasted, such as the heel portion, when the shoe is positioned as in Fig. 1. It will Then the hand wheel I00 f be noted that when lasting the heelportion of a shoe of this shape, the jack is tilted up to the position plainly indicated in Fig. 1, in which the shoe is at the proper angle for the most advant'a geous pull upon the ligature. 7 After the heel-ligature has been tightenedinthe desired manner, the jack may be tilted down to the position shown in Fig. 2, by oscillating it about the axis 32, and

' when the latch 60 is released the jack'may be revolved about the vertical axis toa diametrically opposite position, at which time the'shoe will be in the most advantageous position for pulling upon andtightening a similar ligature around the toe portion of the shoe.

When adjusting the shoe to proper position for lasting, the last jack may be moved backv and forthreadily by manipulation of the lever 82 to bring the ligature on the shoe to exactly the .right position withrespect to the clamping jaws H5 and N6 of the tightening means; yet when a pull is exerted by the tightening means the last jack will not move rightwardly along its guide- Ways but any such movement will be adequately resisted by the clutch constituted by the roller 15 and associated parts.

" Thus itis seen that simple and advantageous mecl'ianismhas been provided forrapid and emcientlastin'g of shoes accordingto the method above mentioned. It isseen that the tilting of the jack is particularly advantageous when lasting womens shoes or other shoes in which the heel ligature is ata difierent angle from the toe ligature, since the shoe may be tilted to one position for the most advantageous pull upon one ligature and shifted to another position (in ad-' dition to turning it end for end) for the mostadvantageousdirection of pull upon the other ligature. 1

While one embodiment of vthe invention has been disclosed, it is to be understood that the'inventive idea'may be carried out in a number of ways. This application istherefore not to be limited to the precise details described, but is intended to cover all variations and. modifications thereof falling within the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

. I claim:

1. In a shoe lasting device, the combination with a last jack for holding a last,of a guideway along which said last jack is movable, one-way holdingmechanism preventing movement of said jack in one direction along said guideway by force applied to said jack, said mechanism being ineffective to prevent movement of said jack in an opposite direction by force applied to said'jack, and means for moving said jack at will in either direction along said guideway. Y

2. In a shoe lasting device, the combination with a frame, of a last jack movable with respect -to said frame, alever operatively connected to said jack to move therewith, one-way clutch means normally preventing movement of said lever in one direction to prevent movement of said jack in one direction,,and means including a sec- 0nd lever lor releasing said one-way clutch means to permit movement of said. first lever in the normally'prevented direction.

3. A last jack comprising, in combination, a base member, a last supporting member pivotally mounted on said base member, and positive latch means for A holding said last supporting member immovablyeither in a position in which the toe'of a last supported by said supporting member points in one direction, or in a substantially reversed position in which said toe of said last points in the opposite direction. i i

4. A last jack comprising a base, a last holding member, a toe rest for cooperating with a shoe upper on a last held by said holding member, said holding member being pivotally mounted for oscillation with respect to said toe rest, screw means for forcing a last held on said holding member ina direction toward said toe rest and for positively holding it against movement in a reverse direction, and means for mounting said holding member and toe rest for bodilyoscillation together about an axis substantially parallel with the plane of the sole of a last held by said holding member, so thatja shoe on said last may be shifted to different positions for performing different op' erations upon it. 1

5. Alast jack comprising a base, a member mounted for oscillation about a substantially horizontal axis with respect to said base, adjustable means limiting the extent of oscillation of said member inboth directions, a last spindle pivotally mounted on said member for oscillationv with respect to said member and also for bodily oscillation as a unit with said member, screw means for controlling oscillation of said spindle with respect to said member, and a toe rest adjustably mounted on said member for oscillation bodily therewith. r v 1 6.- A last jack comprising a base, a last holding member, a toe rest for cooperating with a shoe upper on a last held by said holding member, means for mounting said holding member and toe rest for bodily oscillation together about an axis'substantially parallel with the plane of the sole of a last held by said holding member and materially forwardly from'the mid point of said last, so that a shoe on said last may be shifted to and materially forwardly'from the middleof said last. i

8. In a shoe lasting device, the'combination' with a frame, of a guideway, a jack base mounted for movement along said" guideway, one-way clutch means for holding saidbase against movement in one direction along said guideway, a member mounted on said base, and a last spindle mounted on said member, said member being mounted for oscillation with respect to said base about an axis substantially parallel to the plane of the sole of a last carried by said spindle and substantially beneath the toe portion of said last.

9.'In a shoe lasting device, the combination with a frame, of a guideway, a jack base mounted for movement along said guideway, a member mounted on'said base, a last spindle mounted on said member, said member being mounted for oscillation with respect to said base about an axis substantially parallel to the plane of. the sole of a last carried by said spindle, and also mounted for oscillation with respect to said base about an.

axis substantially transverse to the plane of said sole, frictional means for, holding said member ineither of a pluralityof positions .to which it may be oscillated about one of said axes, and latching means for holding said member in either of a plurality of positions to which it may be 0scillated about the other of said axes.

10. A shoe lasting jack comprising a base, a member mounted on said base, means on said member for holding a last, and a pivotal connection between said member and said base so that said member may be tilted back and forth with respect to said base, said pivotal connection having a pivotal axis arranged substantially horizontally and located substantially beneath the toe portion of said last, so that bytilting said member about said pivotal axis the heelportion of said last may be raised or lowered without substantially raising or lowering the toe portion thereof.

11. A shoe lasting jack comprising a base, a member mounted on said base, means on said member for holding a last, a. pivotal connection between said member and said base so that said member may be tilted back and forth with respect to said base, adjustable screw means for limiting the extent to which said member may be tilted in either direction, and spring pressed means for frictionally holding said member in either of a plurality of positions to which it may be tilted.

12. A shoe lasting jack comprising a base, a

member mounted on said base, means on said member for holding a last, a pivotal connection between said member and said base so that said member may be tilted backand forth with respect to said base, said pivotal connection having,

a pivotal axis arranged substantially horizontally and located substantially beneath the toe portion of said last, so that by tilting said member about said pivotal axis the heel portion of said last may be raised or lowered without substantially raising or lowering the toe portionthereof,

and spring pressed means for frictionally hold-.

ing said member in either of a plurality of po sitions to which it may be moved.

13. Shoelasting mechanism comprising means forming a guideway, a base block mounted for a guideway on said jack member, a toe rest, mounted for reciprocation along said last named guideway, and a last spindle mounted on saidv jack member for oscillation thereon about a sub- ,stantially horizontal axis. i

GEORGE W. MILLER; 

